Cleveland Indians' Michael Brantley, left, is tagged out by Oakland Athletics catcher John Jaso in the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, March 31, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. Brantley was attempting to score on a hit by Cleveland Indians' Ryan Raburn. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Photo: Ben Margot, Associated Press

Cleveland Indians' Michael Brantley, left, is tagged out by Oakland...

Indians Manager Terry Francona gets the signal from the homeplate umpire that a call the Indians challenged was called correctly in the sixth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Manager Bob Melvin (facing away) checks on Sonny Gray to see if he was injured by a ball hit back at him in the sixth inning. Gray remained in the game. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

A's Manager Bob Melvin relieves Jim Johnson after Johson gave up two runs in the ninth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Eric Sogard stops a ball hit by Adsrubal Cabrera in the second inning, but couldn't complete the throw to first in time for the out. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Josh Reddick walks away from the plate after striking out with a runner on base in the bottom of the ninth. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Adsrubal Cabrera high fives teammates after scoring the winning run in the top of the ninth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Adsrubal Cabrera high fives teammates after scoring the winning run...

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Adsrubal Cabrera scores the winning run in the top of the ninth inning off Jim Johnson The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Sonny Gray reacts to getting out of the sixth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Josh Donaldson hits a ball that almost cleared the fence but bounced off the top in the eighth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Sonny Gray is high fived by teammates in the dugout after the sixth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Sonny Gray is high fived by teammates in the dugout after the sixth...

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Coco Crisp can't reach a ball hit for a double by Michael Brantley in the top of the sixth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

A's fans cheer on Sonny Gray in the fourth inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Sonny Gray throws out the first pitch against the Indians Monday, to open the 2014 season for the A's. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Rickey Henderson blows a kiss to the crowd before throwing out the first pitch before the game between the A's and the Indians on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Banjo Man makes his 2014 season debut in the stands of the coliseum on Monday as the A's played the Indians. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Banjo Man makes his 2014 season debut in the stands of the coliseum...

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A's starter Sonny Gray makes a face after throwing almost 30 pitches in the first inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Rickey Henderson throws out the first pitch before the A's game against the Indians on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Rickey Henderson gets a hug from Josh Donaldson after throwing out the first pitch on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

The A's and Indians line up on the base lines as fireworks go off before the game on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

The A's unveiled their 2012 2013 AL West Division Champions banners before the game against the Indians. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Fans line up to greet the A's players as they are introduced before the game against the Indians on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Fans line up to greet the A's players as they are introduced before...

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A color guard from Travis Air Force Base presents the flags before the game against the Indians on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

Starter Jesse Chavez high goes up the line greeting other A's players after he was introduced before the game on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

A's third baseman Josh Donaldson high fives fans as he is introduced before the game against the Indians on Monday. The Oakland Athletics played the Cleveland Indians at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, March 31, 2014. The A's lost their home opener 2-0 to the Indians

The rain held off long enough for the A's to get in their season opener against the Indians, and while there were a few new wrinkles - replay! a 400-foot single! - the end result was painfully familiar.

For the 10th year in a row, a major-league record, Oakland dropped the opening game of the season, this time via new closer Jim Johnson. The right-hander, making his A's debut, loaded the bases to open the ninth inning, then allowed a sacrifice fly by Nyjer Morgan and an RBI single by Nick Swisher, all the Indians required in a 2-0 victory at the Coliseum.

Manager Bob Melvin lifted Johnson after the Swisher single, replacing him with lefty Fernando Abad, and Johnson left to a chorus of boos from the crowd of 36,067.

"I did everything you're not supposed to do as a pitcher," Johnson said. "I would have booed me, too. I sucked tonight. I deserved it. Next time they'll probably be cheering."

Oakland had a bases-loaded chance as well, in the eighth, but bad luck and unfortunate baserunning cost the A's. Oft-maligned Daric Barton led off with a single, and with one out Coco Crisp walked. Josh Donaldson followed with a blast to dead center that ticked off the top of the wall in center and fell back for a single.

"I thought it was off the suites," Donaldson said.

Barton, who had gone back to tag up as Morgan turned to chase Donaldson's drive, didn't score on the play.

Melvin said that with one out, Barton should have gone halfway rather than tag up.

Donaldson, who threw his hands up after the play, said he was not frustrated with Barton, just with the fact his drive didn't go out.

"We make mistakes in this game," Donaldson said. "I'm sure if it would go that way again, it would be handled differently."

During their Opening Day losing streak, the A's have 13 runs in 10 games, and they haven't scored in the past 25 innings in openers.

Oakland starter Sonny Gray threw 29 pitches in the first inning alone, and he wriggled out of jam after jam, twice adding nice defensive plays.

On the second of those, Oakland got to see the new review process for the first time. With men at second and third and one out in the sixth, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a comebacker off Gray's right ankle. Gray recovered the ball and tossed it to catcher John Jaso to tag Michael Brantley at the plate. Crew chief Mike Winters decided to review the play to make sure Jaso hadn't blocked the plate without the ball. The ruling stood.

Gray, who struck out David Murphy to finish the sixth, said he believes his ankle is OK, but he'll have a better idea Tuesday.